According to a recent study conducted by researchers from John Hopkins University, Indiana University, UCLA Medical Center, and other institutions, people who take calcium supplements may be at greater risk of heart disease. Published in the Journal of the American Heart Association, the study suggests that calcium supplements contribute to plaque build up in the aorta and arteries, essentially obstructing blood flow 1. This particular build-up is known to cause heart attacks.
The exigency behind this particular study came from previous research on the effects of calcium supplements on the human body. Researchers have found mounting evidence that the body metabolizes calcium supplements differently than calcium-rich foods such as dairy products or vegetables; instead of accumulating in bones, calcium supplements seem to accumulate in muscle and soft tissue 2. Based on their findings, researchers highly recommend people seeking to supplement their calcium intake to discuss it with their physicians first.
You can view the study in its entirety here.
Sources:- http://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/news/media/releases/calcium_supplements_may_damage_the_heart
- https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/calcium-supplements-may-raise-risk-of-heart-disease/2016/10/17/a80285fe-9215-11e6-9c52-0b10449e33c4_story.html?utm_term=.afe127a6f77f
